Samsung Display and APS "work together" to create 3500ppi Micro OLED

Samsung Display is considering partnering with South Korean display and semiconductor equipment manufacturer APS Holdings to develop a 3,500-ppi Micro OLED precision metal shield (FMM).

APS Holdings announced last year that it has developed Micro OLED with a resolution of 3,000 ppi per inch, which will be used in AR and VR equipment in the future. The company's goal is to increase the Micro OLED resolution to 4,000 ppi.

At the same time, Samsung Display has also developed a Micro LED with RGB technology. The report pointed out that Samsung may cooperate with APS Holdings for FMM because it is just the resolution that potential customers want.

Previously, Samsung had stated that the company is developing Micro OLED displays and the project is in the early development stage. The company will start building the first production line in 2023, mass production of Micro OLED displays in 2024, and expand production capacity in 2025 to achieve full commercialization in 2026.

According to market news, Apple has contacted Samsung to develop Micro OLED displays for the AR devices Apple is developing. Sources revealed that in 2023, Apple Glass will release VR glasses equipped with high-end Micro OLEDs to greatly enhance the visual experience.

Technology giant Meta will also cooperate with South Korean semiconductor giant SK Hynix and panel manufacturer LG Display to develop Micro OLED panels for Meta XR (Extended Reality) devices, and has entered the stage of signing an agreement.

According to the agreement, Meta will be responsible for chip design, SK Hynix will be responsible for wafer production, and LG Display will be responsible for the final manufacturing process, that is, depositing OLEDs on the wafer and then cutting into Micro OLED panels.

Apple has in the past requested Samsung Display and LG Display (LGD) to develop 2,800 ppi Micro LEDs, and later increased the resolution requirement to 3,500 ppi.

Currently, LGD is developing White OLED with RGB color filters, which is similar to OLED TV panels.

APS Holding has claimed that current etching methods limit resolution, so it chose laser rather than traditional etching methods. The company's 3,000 ppi FMM technology is processed and manufactured from an ultra-thin film Invar with a thickness of only 8 microns (m), which is also the company's independent technology. This is thinner than the FMM of the OLEDs used to make QHD smartphones, which is about 18 microns thick.